20 incredible water parks at caravan parks

Holiday parks around Australia are splashing out with bigger and better water playgrounds.

There’s something about a water park that never fails to make people happy. Spraying water at each other, whizzing down huge slides, the inevitable sunburn that comes with hours outside… Ok, maybe there’s one thing about water parks that fails to make people happy (stay sun-safe, people). But, once you’ve ‘screened up, these top-notch caravan-park-based water parks, are a guaranteed recipe for good times.

BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park, QLD

In February 2020, BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park opened its very own water park, recognised as the tallest play structure in any holiday park in the Southern Hemisphere!

Its water slides are up to 10 metres tall, the mother of all tipping buckets holds a literal tonne of water, and four enclosed slides come complete with an iridescent internal light show. In total it has 40 interactive play features with a combined slide length of 317 metres, including a multi-lane body slide – all zoned into smaller play areas to suit kids of all ages and stages.

No doubt about it: this one is destined to be a hit with the kiddies and with such a splash-tastic setup, there is sure to be a line out the door (or around the pool!)

Read: We visited BIG4 Gold Coast’s huge water park

NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort, NSW

This is a park where you couldn’t possibly get bored. The water park’s dual water slides, giant tipping bucket and waterplay fountains promise to keep the kids cool, while parents can relax at the nearby on-site café. Other must-do experiences include a bike track, archery and even a nine-hole golf course. And, for even more watery fun, the surf breaks of Arrawarra Beach are on the doorstep.

Keep reading:

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BIG4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park, Tweed Heads South, NSW

Reminiscent of the surrounding landscape, known as Australia’s ‘Green Cauldron’, the water park at BIG4 Tweed Billabong Holiday Park takes visitors on a tour of the area. A volcanic-looking rocky mound is the first of three zones in the water park, representing towering Wollumbin (Mount Warning). This section has the largest slides in the park. The second section has a giant tipping bucket and is themed around the rocks of Fingal Head, while the toddler play section boasts a froggy slide, and celebrates the marine life around Cook Island. This quirky design makes a day spent splashing on the slides akin to mountaineering adventure … well, almost.

Discovery Parks – Barossa Valley, Tanuda, SA

The water park at Discovery Parks – Barossa Valley is up there with the best. It’s got three water slides, a huge tipping bucket and numerous splash zones, one of which is powered by a model horse spraying water from its nose – what more could you want? And it’s available even if you aren’t staying in the park – just book a day pass to cool down in between adventures.

Discovery Parks – Barossa Valley was voted in our best holiday parks in South Australia 

BIG4 Easts Beach Holiday Park, Kiama, South Coast NSW

Sunny’s Aquaventure Park at BIG4 Easts Beach Kiama has two waterslides, a giant tipping bucket spread across multi-level platforms for play. There’s an ocean-themed splash pad with interactive water features and a shaded water journey for infants. The park is also right on the beachfront, has a pool, jumping pillow, kids club, playground and games room.

Holiday Haven Currarong, Jervis Bay, NSW

With aquatic play equipment and a tipping bucket, the splash pad at Holiday Haven Currarong is boatloads of fun. It’s fenced in, so parents with little ones can feel at ease. Between that and the jumping pillow, we don’t think the kids will ever want to leave the park, but on the off chance you do decide to head out, Currarong Beach and Currarong Creek are only a short stroll, with kayaks available to hire at reception if you’re keen on more H20. adventures

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, QLD

If it’s quantity you’re after, it’s hard to beat BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort’s 13 epic water slides. The water park takes up the area of an Olympic pool, with bridges and stairs linking the slides for maximum exploration potential. Add on a 32-metre swimming pool, tipping buckets, fountains, jets and a colour-coded range of giant or mini slides that cascade from a two-metre platform, plus a whole host of activities out of the water, and you’re looking at days of fun without leaving the park.

North Star Holiday Resort, Hastings Point, NSW

North Star Holiday Resort is a park for nature lovers. There is bushland green on one side and the sparkling blue ocean on the other and the two-storey aqua playground in the middle

The aqua playground has 65 interactive water features including mini slides and a colourful maze of water cannons. The kids will love the ‘Big Dripper’, a 600-litre bucket that takes six minutes to slowly fill before dumping a cascade of water.

Two eight-meter-high tubular water slides spiral more than 60 meters through a rainbow of technicolour light features, down to poolside landing platforms below.

The resort also has a Marine Discovery Centre with state-of-the-art light and sound technology. It is fitted with interactive digital terminals and marine and coastal science displays.

As well as free tennis, games room, pool tables and outdoor playground, North Star has its own kids’ club, Neptunes. Fully supervised and free, open during off-peak weekends and daily throughout the school holidays. Giving parents time to seek out the Seascape Leisure Centre on site. The facility comprises a 25-metre lap pool, three temperature-controlled spas, sauna, gym, massage room and a hairdressing salon.

BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park, South Australia

Tell the kids to get ready to run under sprinklers and spray guns, ride down slides and tubes and get soaked under a huge dumping bucket.

The water park is right by the big lagoon pool with four pebble beaches to enter from – or bomb right into the deep end. The pool is solar heated and had an even warming spa. There are lots of sun lounges to relax on around the pool or sit under the waterfall and let the water massage your shoulders.

The park has 1 kilometre of absolute river frontage on the Murray River. Bring your boat and kayaks for river adventures. 

Large families will love the three-bedroom riverfront villas, and there are plenty of accommodation options for all families.

Discovery Parks – Maiden’s Inn, Moama, NSW

More than a million dollars has been invested in the construction of a new 500-square-metre water park at this Moama holiday park. Each of the colourful features has been designed to look like a paddle steamer, well-known to the Murray River area. Travellers set sail on the PS James Maiden, where they can fly down three different slides, get soaked by a massive tipping bucket or dance through numerous spray zones. Perfect for families with children ages zero to 12, the water wonderland continues to thrill little tadpoles.

Maidens Inn also has a swimming pool, tennis court, playground, barbecue facility, boat ramp and kiosk. If you can drag your kids away from all the water play, it’s also worth exploring the historic port of nearby Echuca, finding some treasures at the local markets or trying one of the stylish eateries in town. And if dad wants a mini escape, he can cruise over to the National Holden Motor Museum, the largest car museum of its kind in Australia.

Discovery Parks – Byron Bay, NSW

The 500-square-metre Barrel Water Park is the highlight of a $3 million makeover at Discovery Parks – Byron Bay. Among Australia’s biggest, this splashtacular water park boasts some serious drawcards: a giant tipping bucket, water slides, a pool area, a range of fountains, water spouts and a jumping pillow. A nearby lagoon pool is perfect for little ones just learning to swim and the sunny Byron Bay weather creates the ideal setting for a summer barbie.

Exploring the local town keeps you entertained with a raft of backpackers, surfers, hippies, artists and Gap Year corporates congregating at stylish cafes and shimmering beaches. Escape to the scenic hinterland or hit the surf where kids can have a splash and build giant sandcastles. Eateries offer trendy outdoor zones where youngsters are encouraged to have tasty babyccinos and appreciate the colour of the waiter’s latest tattoo. The vibe continues at the holiday park, which is just two kilometres from the Byron Bay town centre.

BIG4 Narooma Easts Holiday Park, NSW

Ahoy matey! Monty’s Island Oasis, an all-season indoor splash park located at BIG4 Narooma Easts Holiday Park, has been an aquatic hit since it opened in 2018.

Every feature of the H.M.S Waterplay has a nautical theme, from the 30-gallon tipping bucket and 1.8-metre-wide slide to the numerous splash canons with 360-degree mobility. There is also a seven-by-seven-metre Spa Pool for the more seasoned sailors wanting to escape the splash zone for some well-deserved R&R.

Discovery Parks – Rockhampton, QLD

Opened in 2018, this $1.6 million investment by Discovery Parks is a welcome addition to the activities already available at their ‘Rocky’ site. With a tennis court, kids’ club, playground and bouncing pillow, the water park is just one of many activities designed to keep even the most energetic littlies busy. Three slides, a dump bucket and a dedicated area for the tiny tots make this water park an essential stopover.

Discovery Parks – Coolwaters, Yeppoon, Kinka Beach, QLD

Some resorts just have it all, and Coolwaters is one of those. The colourful mix of thrilling slides and water spouts is an added bonus to a holiday park that already offers a resort-style pool, BMX tracks, kayaking and bushwalking, so expect an action-packed holiday here. The splash-happy park includes water features, splash bucket and toddler-friendly slides as well as a larger slide for the older kids.

NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort, Gold Coast, QLD

The fun at Shipwreck Shores Waterpark at NRMA Treasure Island begins when you enter a fantastical pirate ship with water cannons. There is a sea monster that sprays water from its nose, a whale that squirts from its tail and an octopus with eight spraying tentacles. Exciting waterslides deposit kids into the main pool.

A five-metre pirate dumping bucket will leave the kids squealing with delight. The park has different sections to cater to all ages.

NRMA Treasure Island also has four resort-style swimming pools, one with a waterfall, a bouncing pillow, pedal go-karts, mini-golf and tennis. 

The kids club runs year round with dance parties, game shows, arts and crafts and scavenger hunts. 

Tathra Beachside, NSW

Boasting 500 metres of absolute beach frontage, Tathra Beachside is just spoiling guests with aquatic adventures with the addition of its Big Splash water park. Located in a lagoon-like pool, the park’s bright neon slides, splash pool and massive tipping bucket promise to soak any and all water babies on site. Open year-round, day visitors pay $10 to access the site’s three slides, while kids under two years enter for free.

BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut, QLD

A favourite among HWK readers, BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Cairns Coconut serves up wet-and-wild fun in droves.

Between the massive water dumping, spraying and sliding kids’ water park, dual water slides – more than 30 metres in total length – and the park’s two pools, you and the kids are likely to be all watered out. The slides and water spouts are decorated with vibrant murals, bringing the corals and colours of the reef. The Sun Lagoon Pool includes even more slides to splash your way through and on-site offerings include Australia’s first entirely interactive playground, an 18-hole mini-golf course and beach volleyball.

But you’ll have to hold strong because the Great Barrier Reef is on your doorstep, where snorkelling and swimming opportunities abound.

BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort, Sandstone Point, QLD

BIG4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort is right by Bribie, Moreton and North Stradbroke Islands. When you’re not out exploring islands kids will love playing in the waterpark with a giant tipping bucket and slides. The resort also has a kiddies pool, heated pool, jumping pillow, go-karts, giant chess, games room,  poolside restaurant, fire pit, basketball and tennis courts.

Nobby Beach Holiday Village, Gold Coast, QLD

With such an awesome pool complex, it’ll be difficult to pry the kids away from this holiday park for off-site activities. Boasting a 35-metre water slide running directly into the park’s pool, little ones will be in H20 heaven here. If you do manage to drag the kids away, you’re just a hop, skip and a jump from the mother of all water parks: Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast. Stay in or head out: the choice is yours, but either way your little mermaids and mermen are guaranteed a splashing good time.

This article on the best water parks at caravan parks originally appeared in Caravan & Camping with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.

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